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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Regina's 24th - 15th Jan

Regina's 24th was celebrated at Timbre @ The Arts House.

The four of us had to cram around a small table meant for 2 because we're late!!




The 3 of us had our backs facing Stamford Raffles statue and the CBD!
What a beautiful backdrop




More photos of foursome.




Birthday girl whose actual birthday is on 17th Jan.




Taken with self timerrrrr..




Cheese!




Christmas 2009 gift exchange came a bit late, so it was brought over to 2010!

Regina got us a whole load of chocs and nougats from Australia.. (but everything's sold in Sg! lol)
She also got us a cute mini fountain pen each!
Felt like as if we're back in pre/pri school days where the birthday girl gives out nicely wrapped goodies.




DIY Clean-Up Boxes and Phuket Elephant magnets from me!
Hats from Candice!

Amanda gave out hers during our Christmas Gathering already.


P.S.




As requested by Regina to post this up, this is how her Clean-up Box looked like on her office desk!

Ni Tamago - 27th Jan



Made 4 hard-boiled eggs with a gooey yolk center in total.
And I ate my first one after being immersed in the marinade fer 1 day.

Had it together with Korean Kimchi Noodles and DongWon Tuna!
Oishi!

Here's the recipe:
Step 1 - Marinade
1 cup soy sauce (I used kikoman)
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar (or brown sugar)
Some dried chilli (I don't have so I used 10 ginger slices)
Leek


Step 2 - Cooking
Pierce egg with a needle at the tip
Boil for 6.5mins (can add vinegar to water to soften egg shell but I didn't. for small egg - 6mins)
soak in ice water for 3mins and peel carefully with egg still in iced water.


Step 3
Immerse egg in marinade for 1-2 days in the fridge.
Eat at room temperature.


The article said to marinade for 1-2 days.

However, the egg became mega salty on the 2nd! (Jasmine ate it)
Bleargh. I'd try to lessen the soy sauce in future!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Chef Emily's Tteok Bok Kki

Ladies and Gentlemen,


Welcome to the Opening of Emily's Korean Eatery, online.


Introducing her signature dish.

The 'Tteok Bok Kkiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'!!
(Yes, at her eatery, you emphasize the iiiiis)





It's so delicious, 아주 맛있어요(!) that it's on par with those that Chef Emily ate in Korea.
No kidding.
Chef Emily had also tweaked the recipe a little cause the initial was a lil' watery.

Fer this photo, she hasn't got the time to garnish, sprinkling of black sesame seeds.
But it's alright to overlook it, cause she's such a good chef, you're not. HURHUR.


Hallelujuah.
I shall blog more about it.
Till then.




Yours truly,
Chef Emily

23rd Dec (cooking time 9.00pm-9.15pm)

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Indeed, Lamentations

Felt a sharp pain on my abdomen when I was about to bathe.
I thought it's the return of the laosai.
It wasn't.

10mins later, it returned again.
This time the pain was so intense, beads of perspiration started to form.
I silently screamed for Mummy in my head (o, because I need the Bo Chit Yun pills).
And of course, Christ Jesus! Bless me!

I had planned to start on my work after I bathed.. but was too weak to do so.
The pain seemed to have sucked my energy and I need to rest a little.
That was when I came online and found someone blog-hopped from Alvin's to mine.
Clicked on it and to my surprise, the link that I opened was on March 2005. I saw this!:


The Rabbit & The Worm - Lamentations

Oh xxx, xxx,
how foolish you are.
You nibble on carrots,
from fields afar.


My biggest worry of all is this,
you might become so engrossed in feeding,
that you give the toilet a miss.


You might soil yourself,
spraying s**t all over the place,
and turn into a smelly, brown-spotted bunny,
donning specks of s**t on your cute little face.


Take heed little xxx,
do listen to what I have to say:
An unfortunate fit of diarrhoea,
is all it takes to ruin your day.


But whatever happens, don't worry,
things will turn out just fine.
For you, my dear little xxx,
you will always be on my mind!


penned by Alvin DarLIN on SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 2005.

This is actually Part II of the nongsense poem he made up.
Part I can be found here.
and Part III, here.


"An unfortunate fit of diarrhoea, is all it takes to ruin your day."


Hurhur. So coincidental, so comforting.
I don't have diarrhoea, but I feel that I'd soon have one judging from the pangs of pain.
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH. As I type, it's back . *pauses here*


*back* Indeed, it's diarrhoea.
Highly suspect it was this morning's breakfast where I was served with dirty plates (egg yolk stain!) at Dover HDB foodcourt.
KNN, SMS.
I pray it ends now, there and then.
The end.


But whatever happens, don't worry,
things will turn out just fine.
For you, my dear little EMILY,
you will always be on my mind!

That's why I love my darling's blog. Let me fill in the blanks, 5 years later..  =D

Sunday, January 3, 2010

DarLIN's 25th - 3rd Jan

Couldn't believe Alvin has already hit the quarter century mark.
For his 25th, I brought the Mister to Wild Honey at Mandarin Gallery.

He had a list to choose from,
from dinner in a romantic setting where you can get to witness sunset at Sentosa;
to the semi-outdoors where you can see horses in a distance;
to the international ones..

and he chose this>>


A Global All Day Breakfast menu.
Breakfast for breakfast, breakfast for lunch, breakfast for dinner.. you geddit..

It's rather interesting (and pricy) too.
You get to pick a breakfast set ranging from Japanese, Yemen, Tunisian, Swiss, Scandinavia.. 16 different countries.


We went fer the most challenging one, breakfast for breakfast.
Woke up early fer it kayyyy.


DarLIN had MEXICAN breakfast set.
Burrito, scrambled eggs, potatoes, beans, salsa and guacamole topped with sour cream.

Fer me, it was a really heavy English breakfast set.
Scrambled eggs, a huge sausage, half a tomato, baked beans (not your usual Heinz), bacon (ooo..) and the very delicious mushrooms..

Should have picked Scandinavian (salmon!) or Belgium (waffles!) breakfast set.
(Why I chose English huh, cause all my favourites were in it except tomato)


Darling also ordered Cous cous salad with grilled salmon skewers.
I think the salmon skewers stank, couldn't stand the smoky smell.

To down our breakfast fit for a king (and queen), we also ordered 2 special types of drink concoctions with weird names I can't recall. (Mine's called Princess something something?)
In total it was S$40+ per pax fer breakfaaaaaaaaaaaaast.

I couldn't finish much (just recovered from my bout of diarrhea due to an allergic reaction to some medication)..

Was so paiseh when I was about to leave.
The owner, an Angmoh Guy, (ok, his name is literally Guy) came up to me, "O, you couldn't finish?" with sad tone. It's like as if his food sucked.
Fer the record, it didn't la..



My only pet peeve here>>
Couldn't take any photos in there cause the Angmoh owner's a lil' p(r)etty sensitive over pictures taken at his restaurant.




After church service that day we had a mini Häagen-Dazs ice-cream cake fer DarLIN!

And his present was an exercise bench (also included as present for Christmas and Anniversary of last year's cause I didn't get any fer him except cards.. so bad right.. hahaha) from me.

Friday, January 1, 2010

100 things about Me

Wow.

I had this written quite some time back to make my 150th post special.
Never did I expect my 150th post coincides with the first post for 2010 too!

Well it's gonna be a pretty looong read.
Here it goes!

*Drum rolls*.......
.
.
.

1) As many have already known, I LOVE to eat eggs. My dad used to shove half-boiled eggs down my throat to wake me up and get ready fer class when I was 4 - I haven’t even brush my teeth yet!
2) My favourite past-time is to daydream.
3) I like to ‘catch’ farts – Alvin and my sisters find it annoying.
4) I like painting my nails in m&m colours ever since my collection of nail polishes went above 30.
5) I have nicknames aplenty. The ones I liked best: ‘Every Minute I Love You’ (my dad’s friend) and ‘Ai Mei Li’ (my dad and a few PRCs from Archi). My lower sec school friends called me ‘Horny LIM’ Only God knows why. My JC friends call me ‘Em’. My Korean friends call me ‘deh-mily’ (means dead skin cells!~ in Korean) or ‘emily emily emily’. Some just cannot stop at 1.
6) My mom liked Charlotte Bronte’s ‘Jane Eyre’ so much; she named me after her sister, Emily Bronte, who wrote ‘Wuthering Heights’.
7) Enid Blyton was my favourite childhood author. I would reread the Magic Faraway Tree series many times and boy was I happy when it appeared on TV as cartoon!
8) I would love to retire at the countryside, live in a cottage, own a farm with brooks and collect eggs every day like what Enid Blyton had described in her books.
9) For now, I’d just be glad to own a country styled kitchen, with onions and garlic hanging from the ceiling and throw garden tea parties whenever I can.
10) I owned close to a 100 Enid Blyton books before. My mum had since given them away to the Salvation Army.
11) My dad is the only one in my family whom I’ve travelled alone with so far. He’s fantastic and he spoils me! I love him so much!
12) I first ate vegetables willingly when I was 13, chicken when I was 17 and beef when I was 18.
13) I’d feel nauseous when I eat too much beef (too much referring to anything more than half a cheese burger)
14) Before JC, I used to order chicken rice without chicken plus egg.
15) Now, my order fer chicken rice would go like this: ‘White chicken breast without skin plus egg’ and add loads of chilli.
16) I would like to have B cup boobs.
17) I’d like my wedding car to be in an orange Lamborghini Gallardo or later series. Never mind if it’s rented.
18) I love playing soccer with my neighbours and cousins when I was in Primary school. Was always the goal keeper cause kicking the ball with slippers was way too painful fer me. Yes, I was a good keeper who didn’t think twice lunging over just to catch the ball. Now, I’m just a gu-niang.
19) I have green fingers. An odd combination cause one of my hands is red. My neighbour and I destroyed the community garden to have a vegetable patch fer ourselves with our bare hands! Mud, earthworms and all, we love it. Now I’d squirm at the sight of the wriggly earthworms. For your info, we grew green and black beans, maize and peanuts.
20) My birthmark is a terribly accurate thermometer which operates through colour indicator. Bright red spells danger, overheated - in need of water. Maroon/Purple indicates I’m feeling chilly.
21) I got my late Maltese name, ‘Janet’, from a baby’s name book. I was only 8.
22) My baby bolster of 8 years had to be thrown away because Janet bit it so badly one morning!
23) Din din was 3 when she trimmed my fringe whilst I was fast asleep. I could only exclaim ‘wa lao!’ and had to go to school with gelled fringe fer a few months.
24) I like receiving hugs. I am hug-deprived because my parents don’t practice hugging.
25) I find holding/linking hands with my gfs extremely awkward.
26) My sisters and I call very minute pimples ‘pop pops’. Pop pops tend to appear on our forehead.
27) My rundown KC shorts are my favourite home-wear shorts!
28) I only wore a bikini once.
29) My undies are categorized under ‘normal’ and ‘special’ occasions.
30) My dad used to stop the car and let us pee by the roadside when we’re toddlers. Going home from my maternal grandparents’ place from Clementi to the east took about 30mins and our small bladders simply could not tahan.
31) I used to dislike class monitors and prefects until I met Regina and of course Din din who is now a prefect councilor too. Self righteous Cheebees. They wrote my name on the board for talking too much when the teachers were not around.
32) I had my cheek cells swabbed in front of the class by my Science teacher for talking too much. She placed them at the microscope for everyone to view. Another CB.
33) The same Science teacher hated my ’feelers’ hairstyle. There was once in class where she asked me to stand up and asked the class if my hairstyle was nice. F. you. My classmate, Valerie, shot back, ‘What’s wrong?! Nice what!’
34) I used to hang out with an ah-lian or 2 when I was in upper pri and lower sec. (she was a nice ah-lian! I still kept the lovely piggy bank she gave me on my 12th birthday.) Perhaps that reflected my ‘feelers’ hairstyle. LOL.
35) In a bid to stop me from buying more earrings, my dad bought me a pair of diamond earrings and demanded I put them on all the time. He forgot I have 3 other ear-holes. (3 on the left, 2 on the right.)
36) I drank from the milk bottle (containing Milo) for breakfast till I was 9.
37) I slept in a sarong till I was 6. It broke and I fell together with it. That’s it.
38) I am surrounded with 3 pillows and 2 bolsters every night to feel comfortable.
39) I’d tuck myself in my lovely comforter no matter what the temperature is (max till 30deg Celsius). – I feel more secure.
40) I was the one who gave my younger sister her name, ‘Geraldine’. After which, the name evolved to ‘din din’(me), ‘din!’ (me), ‘apalapadin!’(me), ‘paladin!’(me), ‘jiak-lo-ti’ (my relatives), ‘gerolding’ (my dad), ‘xiao pang zhu’(my dad), ‘pang zhu’ (my dad) and ‘mei mei ar’ (my grandfather)
41) I regretted trying to scare Din din when she was 2 or 3 years old by locking her alone in my room. She puked on my bed.
42) I regurgitated in my classroom when I was K1. My classmates surrounded me in a circle and went ‘eeeeeeeeee.’ TMD.
43) My paternal grandpa was the one who taught me how to tie my laces. He taught me 2 ways, but I could only remember the more complicated method, till now.
44) I was exposed to Biology (mostly about reproductive system) when I was 7 during CNY eve, all thanks to my cousin. She even taught me how to draw sperms. ‘like tadpoles.’
45) When I first menstruated, I was appalled, ‘How did the chocolate ice-cream stain my panties?!’ Wait a minute, did I eat ice-cream that day. Next thing I knew, I shouted for a pad.
46) I tend to hold my bladder when I am extremely busy during submissions and land up with UTI a couple of times! It shall never happen again in Jesus’ name, Amen!
47) I like to keep livebearer fishes. I can spend hours catching and transferring the frys to the nursery tank. It’s therapeutic.
48) Picking seashells by the seashore is also therapeutic for me.
49) The loud clicks which I can make using my strong tongue acts as a door bell to announce to my family ‘I’m outside the gate now, open sesame!’
50) I feel awkward shopping with guys as I feel guilty wasting their time. I am only at ease shopping with 2 guy friends so far, including my dad and Alvin.
51) I have yet to touch uncooked meat (excluding sashimi). Home econs classes were done with the help of my partner, Yu Ling!
52) I hate cockroaches and cats. Am very happy to learn Singapore culls much more cats than dogs. (kittens are fine with me)
53) I once owned 2 quails. They thought too highly of themselves and committed suicide from the 2nd floor.
54) My first purchase at a book-sale in school was ghost story books. I was like "cooool...", went back, got freaked out, and never touch those again. I was 7.
55) I was caned the most amongst the 3 sisters. I would hide the canes or break them when I find them. I used to sword cane fight with my mum or run around the entire house in self-defense.
56) I once ‘stole’ an orange chalk from school. It was about 2cm in length. I knew it was bound fer the bin. But I felt so guilty as its school’s property that I took it back to school after a few weeks. That was primary 1.
57) I once sang fer church at Ansan, S.Korea ,every Sunday. It’s just the 3 or 4 (singers) of us. To me, it’s surreal.
58) I’m not a sporty person. The only sports I am willingly to do are swimming, cycling, playing badminton and bowling. So I am proud to say I own 2 silver sports medals and a gold fer NAPHA before. Gu Niang can do it, so can you.
59) Had my first pair of pink blades when I was 6. Mommy got so angry with papa fer buying, she threw it down the chute before I could even wear it again after trying it at the store.
60) I used to like tanning back in my JC days. Now, I’d like to be as fair as snow white.
61) Every time I sew, I’d prick my fingers without fail. Thimbles are clumsy to use.
62) All my primary school cross-stitch works were done by my mother. I swelled with pride when they were all chosen fer exhibition.
63) I used to pinch Jasmine all the time when she was younger, treating her like a doll.
64) We used to fight a lot and there was once I poked somewhere close to her eye - she bled.
65) Though I was in a convent school, I only knew more about Christ Jesus through my tuition teacher, and accepted Christ when I was 12 - 14th Oct 1998
66) I was at 100% acceptable weight when I was 17, but I looked so plump as most of the fats didn’t go to my boobs!
67) I am a hygiene freak, thanks to my mom.
68) When friends visit my house, the first area I’d spring-clean would be my attached bathroom. It’s the easiest.
69) I laugh in my sleep and scared my maid a couple of times in the early morning. Many a times, I laughed myself awake.
70) I used to collect stamps and ah kong’s relatives even gave me gold plated ones when they knew I was into stamp collection. They’re now all stashed in my locked drawer.
71) I like organizing parties and events, but once in a while, I’d just like to sit back and relax.
72) My mom makes the best wantans ever with generous fillings.
73) Din din lovingly paints my nails every time I asked her to. Of course, she has perks too – my entire stash of nail polishes.
74) I have allergy to certain types of medicine and food (which I do not know of yet) – my eyelids would swell real bad.
75) I hate to walk in the rain/drizzle. Acidic rain will ruin my hair and face.
76) I used to kill every snail I see in the garden by sprinkling salt and watching them sizzle away. (FYI, they are garden pests)
77) Studying architecture changed my life. – I could stay up fer days and am able to take on higher amount of stress.
78) I like drawing cartoons more than buildings.
79) I want to learn Korean, sign language, CPR, pottery, cooking and aerobics but have not find the time to do so.
80) I wish to learn how to cook for my family in future, but then again, who’s going to cut the meat.
81) I devised a method to cheat during ‘默写’ (chinese dictation) in primary school and always scored 100/100. My friends followed me and due to carelessness, one was found out by the teacher. More cheats were uncovered as she began to flip everyone’s spelling books. When it was my turn, I flipped it fer her, I was so nervous that I missed a few pages, and that was how I got away unscathed. God blessed me, for when sin abound, grace abound more!
82) I had a bad fall once while running for a stupid school event at East Coast Park. The shock triggered my hair to fall into bits and pieces ranging from 1-2cm all over me.
83) When I went to make my first specs, I begged the optometrist not to tell my dad about my degrees, which were then 150 or 200. Was terribly afraid my dad would scold me fer the sky rocketing numbers, cause at school, the highest number I saw was 20 (20/20), never a 150. Hurhur.
84) If it weren’t fer my neighbours, I’d not have learn how to cycle.
85) I caught the sunrise a few times. Once at a yatch, when I went deep sea fishing. Others were with Alvin.. Before you say, so romantic, wait a minute, we did it fer a school project. Bleargh
86) My great grandmother smoked opium! She lived to a grand old age and was still alive when I was a baby.
87) I had only learned to count 1-10 at 3 years old, to beat my cousin, Soon Zhen, who kept showing off that he could ramble it fast.
88) I once skipped school because of spelling! I couldn’t remember how to spell ‘chilli’ (English UK). My cousin, Soon Chien, taught me the art of learning how to spell. After which I just had to glance through the spelling list once and am ready fer the test!
89) I know I am extremely blessed by the Lord.

Some things about Alvin and I.
90) Alvin calls me darlin. Which means The Lin.
91) Alvin and I only dated fer a few hours before we got together! Yes, the chemistry was that strong.. Haha
92) We used to talk in puns on MSN all the time. (hello, where’s it now?!)
93) My first Christmas gift for Alvin was a beautiful (it’s true ok) hand knitted scarf to be used in our first trip to Japan! Painstakingly knitted for 5 months and I can’t even do a knot now.
94) Alvin paints my toenails for me! (not all the time la)
95) I fantasize myself having fangs and sink my fangs into Alvin’s upper arms. (no RA- no role play here). Most of the times, Alvin will say ‘na, bite la bite la’, sometimes, it’s just a plain ‘no!’
96) I had Alvin interested into armpit hair plucking. Next shall be lasering!
97) Alvin once came to my house one early morning while I was still in deep slumber, kissed me, and went to school after that.
98) Alvin would tell bedtime stories to me while I was in Korea every night. Now, he’s simply too tired from work.
99) Alvin would not get irritated if I wake him up from his sleep in the wee hours of the night just to say good night, but I would be very mad at him fer disturbing my beauty sleep!
100) Jonathan means gift of God. Alvin Jonathan Lin is literally a gift from God to me.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

MASquerade Mania



I had this post drafted long ago.
Was trying to accumulate photos.. Haha


Here's with Din Din slapping on Skinfood's Black Sugar Mask on our faces..
It exfoliates and tenderizes your face making it ultra smoooooth babeh!
I highly recommend this!

You can try with normal brown sugar (2 cups) and milk (5tbs) to exfoliate your body too.
Able to replace milk with honey.. But as to how much, agak-agak (estimate it) yourself.




This mask was from Faceshop's - "Su Hyang Snow Replenishing Mask Sheet”.
I can't comment on this cause it's my first time using it. Just picked a mask of out the 10 over different types from my cupboard.

Er, my face felt moisturised. (fullstop)

I've accumulated about 30 over facial mask sheets (for normal skin) by asking whoever who were going to S.Korea to get them for me this year.
Ridiculous taxes imposed and profits made here, facial products are 50%-70% cheaper there!




And finally, the eye masks which I bought online.

These, I consider a waste of money la.
I don't seem to sleep early.. but they really soothe your eyes, cause they turn icy cool in the air-conditioned room!






Last of all... the ultimate MASK >>>



- Emily de Na'vi -



Tried by using my most recent full frontal photo taken at Phuket.
Try it here! (It's in French, but I guess it's easy to figure out =) )

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Phuket Getaway - Day 3

Last Day at Phuket!
And it's CHRISTMAS EVE!!


The morning scenario went like this:
Still lazing at the hotel at 9am despite repeated phone alarms that went off since 8am.


"Merry Christmas eve! *Muacks* What are we going to do today?"


Alvin replied enthusiastically, "Thai Massage of course!"

"Do you know where's it?"
Though there are many massage parlours along the streets, God knows which are seedy ones.

"No?"
We spoke to the hotel i/c when we first arrived but he just gave us directions to one massage parlour on a 7th storey as he couldn't recall the name.

"Then?!" (mumbles to myself, Thai massage, of course..)

Squabbled abit as to who was to check out fer a decent massage parlour before I gave in and took the initiative to scour through the pamphlets that we'd taken earlier from the airport. HUR. Utter nongsense. (It's already 9.30am and I'm not going to waste my morning here at the hotel!)

Discovered one that's a stone throwaway from our hotel!

HideAway Day Spa is just down the street!
Greaaaaat.




We're the first customers of the day at 10am! (They opened business at 10am)
[I bought the Panda in Tai Ji Quan moves for Alvin when I was in Beijing. Cute or not. He wore it for the first time and quickly realised it's a bit too small fer him. Whoops.]


We opted for Traditional Thai Massage Combo 2 (Upper Body with Feet) package, medium strength, with extra concentration on the back for 1500 Baht (low S$60+).

A tray of essential massage oils were also given to us to choose from.
I chose Prai (part of the ginger family - the smell's so unique~ like it all spicy and nice! haha) which I guessed is their signature herb as the prai root itself is on the table (see photo).
Should have bought it there and then! Couldn't find it at the duty free!
Who's going to Thailand anytime soon? Please help me get one bottle!

Alvin chose lemongrass (tsk tsk tsk, fancy covering himself in tom yam juice).


We're handed a sarong each and fumbled to put it on as we've not worn one before..


We're then brought into a private massage room and fer the next hour and a half was a session of unwinding ourselves in a well-deserved bit of self-pamper.
*We got to know our exam results when we're at Phuket on Day 1 and they're fantastic! My highest yet in NUS =D I get to publish my dissertation on Hongdae! Hahaha.. Didn't expect to be able to leave my legacy in the school's library.


During our massage, I totally r-e-l-a-c till I drifted in and out of sleep.
Would have slept throughout if it weren't for the masseuse who woke me up a couple of times to change position here and there.
O, and I choked once cause she pressed down on my back a tad too hard on the first attempt.
Medium miss, medium! Kob kun kaaaaaaaaa~ (Thank you in Thai)

Other than that, the massage was two thumbs up.
*MOANs* hahaha




After we're done with the massage, it's photo taking time!
My masseuse helped me with my sarong. Nice or not?!
She wanted to help me do a halter neck but I was too skinny till there's excess cloth.
(EAT MORE la, I am la!)




Our private massage room with soothing ambient music.

Someone asked (on FB) why my hand was inbetween us in these photos.
I ain't wearing anything beneath the sarong.
If Alvin were to accidentally tug my sarong and tadah! My cheek colour would be that of a baboon's backside already.
But you can tell I'm glowing in bliss here! Heh heh.




Glad that I am fair.
If not, I'd have blended in with the sarong and the reclining wooden chair! Hurhurhur
(No offense to the tanned ones)


Thought our photo taking and tipping the masseuses would sum up our visit to the spa.
Little did we know that we're to be served with watermelon smoothie when we head back to the entrance!
Haiyoooooooooo..... One word - Heaven!

We enjoyed our spa experience so much so that Alvin's considering we take up spa packages back in Singapore.
(Hello darling, who pays fer me huh? We aren't even working yet!)


Following next in our so called 'itinerary' of the day was to head to Patong beach.
(I dragged Alvin there. Our hotel's at Patong beach area, how can we miss the beach? Alas, I kinda regret my decision as I was complaining about the searing heat throughout our 15mins walk there. Hurhurhur)



Wanted to walk barefoot, but the sand's simply scorching!

And then there were touts who kept harassing us to rent their deck chairs.
No Kob kun kaaaaa.. Miss don't like tanning. Miss like white white, fair fairrrrrrrr, understand?! Moreover, Miss didn't slap on my SPF 150 sunblock lotion that day. It's far too dangerous to be under the menacing sun fer too long!




We walked on the beach fer a good 15 mins before we gave up and sought shelter at some air-conditioned sports shop nearby.




Had a lot of moola to spend (Alvin said I'm dumb if I were to spend on a bag that costs $50+ in Phuket. "Don't spend for the sake of spending! =( ), so we decided to splurge on food instead.
Whateverrr..

Settled down for Restaurant Savoey which sits opposite the police box (yes, they call it a box?) at Patong Beach.

I ordered this dish, shown here, which is much like Bibimbap style where you simply mix all the ingredients together and chow down.
Anyone has any idea what's it called? We love this dish!




Did some more last minute shopping at Jung Ceylon and a supermarket to get last minute souveniers before it's time to bid goodbye to Phuket.




At the airport, Alvin's still packing. -.-
We had Norwegian salmon soup, bagel and haagen daz ice-cream fer dinner before our flight back to Singapore!


In all, we spent about S$400 each (excluding airfare), a little pricy fer a 3 day trip.
Our Tiger Airways ticket costs $120 each. (it began from a modest 99cents airfare which went on to a plus plus plus of taxes!!)
But it's worth it. A 3 day trip is more than enough unless you aren't sick of going to beaches and yet more beaches and caves. (Phi Phi and Krabi's more or less the same)
OR you prefer theme parks like Fantasea and watch Muay Thai which we gave those a miss. =)


Happy Holidays and a great year ahead everyone!


P.S.: Meethi came to pick us up to the airport. He was an hour early! I insisted on taking my time to bathe while Alvin kept hurrying me. Kancheong spider. 4pm means 4pm. (it's only a 30-40mins drive to the airport) Our flight's at 8pm fer pete's sake.
Alvin commented that Meethi has extra hairy hands, like those of a ____. SO BAD!

Phuket Getaway - Day 2

Love this day the best!!~

Had our Phang Nga Bay day tour booked at Phuket airport.
Prior to this, we had absolutely nothing planned for the trip because we've been bogged down with work.
It's almost unimaginable fer us to do so as we loved to plan for holidays to make the most of our trips!

Still, being the usual meticulous planner Alvin is, he die die live live also have to purchase a Phuket guide book before we're good to go. (browsed thru it on plane)
That's when we came across this wonderful, awesome leisurely trip!




Dragged ourselves outta bed at 6am and we're off to embark on this paradise seeking journey which was almost a 2hr drive from Patong Beach area!

Was still bleary eyed when we boarded the boat.
The chief guide welcomed us with breakfast (my eyes widened at the free flow of pineapple tarts[!], other snacks and drinks) and briefly mentioned the places that we're going to visit with the aid of a large map held by 2 other men.

We'd be visiting 4 places, and would have to depend on the tides to enter the caves.
It's a half moon that day, so it meant that the tide was just right!


The first island we visited was James Bond Island or Ko Tapu as the locals called it.
James Bond because the movie was filmed here in 1974.
(Apparently James Bond hid atop the now famous rock formation and an helicopter crashed at the beach in the movie)




The boat anchored near the island and we were each assigned a canoe guide.
Guess wot, the chief guide was our guide for the day! =D
The other tourists onboard the same boat were served by his other minions. Hahaha.
(tipped him generously for his exceptional service afterwards)




Well, upon arriving at the beach, thousands and millions of (mostly broken) shells welcomed us
Thought it was my 'lucky' day to have spotted a pretty looking shell, intact.

I meant to have brought it home when moments later I let out a squeal.
Something had brushed against my fingers.

Crap - In it was a hermit crab!
Had half a mind to yank it out from its home cause I certainly do not wish to bring the crab back. Heh.




An up close picture of the hermit.
Was gutted that I couldn't take it home. I promptly dumped it at the edge of a cave after taking photos with/of it.
Good riddance. Hur hur hur, Hurrrr.




We'd to climb through some carved out steps on the side of a rocky terrain to get over to the other opening.
Midway, our guide stopped to take a shot of the signature rocky formation of James Bond island.




Now there, the photo turned out impressive!
A splitting image of the one pictured on my fridge magnet which I bought for keepsake!
Our guide must have took hundreds of these shots for tourist that he now knows exactly where to take the best angle of the rock.




Here's the other side - A once idyllic beach thronging with tourists and rows of souvenier stalls.




Our guide!
(What does that hand sign means? Call me? LOL)




Hadn't much time to explore around this island.
Another of its attraction here is the leaning rocks.
The enclosed space which was flooded with natural lighting reminded me of the interior of Moshe Safdie's Holocaust History Museum in Israel! (Click here to see)




For our next stop, we're given an hour to either canoe by ourselves, frolic in the sea or just relac at a secluded beach at one particular island.

Our canoes were upturned near the shore for us tourists to jump from one canoe to another to showoff our stability prowess.
Alvin and I didn't join in the fun as we didn't bring a change of clothes!
And in all that commotion of cheering for the rest,  I forgot to take photos!




Lunch time was a sumptous Thai buffet spread!!
Heh heh. Was famished like anything and it was a challenge to continue eating after the boat started cruising off again.
(think flying noodles splattered on your cheeks)

What's more, I had to eat with a wet butt thanks to Alvin's incredible paddling.
Should have sat at the back mon.


Post lunch - Our first cave expedition!

Came across peculiar looking rock formations along the way.
They resembled:



A ferocious looking Pirannah..
(orange eye with jaggered spiky teeth)




and a Monkey (face) going 'ooo'.

There's one more - Scooby Doo!
Seriously, "Where Are You now!"
Can neither make head nor tail of the photo now. =(
Let me stare at it fer a while more perhaps.




Had to lie down to go through this tunnel.




This photo here showed where we emerged from.
The only way to get into the tidal lagoons or hongs (rooms in Thai) was though a tunnel that had eroded from the limestone walls!

These hongs are sea caves whose tops had long collapsed resulting in a sanctuary of their own with sky high ceiling, lush foliage wall and an emerald green flooring.




As we continued our day's adventure, the guides started calling out for the kings of the sky - the sea eagles, with high pitched whistles and throwing of food out into the open sea.


The last cave of the day:



Our guide promised us this last stop would be exiting!
It's getting a lil bit crowded in this small cave here.




We're greeted by a stalactite chandelier when we entered the cave and figurine in a form of a person

That makes it a grand living room!




Except for the fact that it houses bats too.
I'm not afraid of them. Rather, it's their droppings!
(paddle faster mr canoe guide!)




As we proceeded further in, we're shrouded in total darkness.
Hadn't a clue of what to expect for besides waiting fer what it seemed like eternity in here.
Fortunately, the guides gave us a torch each, which I presumed, to self entertain by shining light everywhere.

The guides also started deflating the canoes.
The air went "psst! psst psst psssssst!", a pregnant pause, then "psst psst!", "psst psst!"
I thought they're trying to be funny in the midst of boredom.
Then, ours got deflated too. Not funny anymore, folks! I don't want to sink in hereeee.


At this point of time, the initial excitement died down and the whispers amongst us turned almost inaudible (think we're all restless due to the holdup)..
Was relishing in all that silence (surprisingly not eery, but peaceful) when some claustrophobic kid started breaking into sobs.
She backed out.

Thereafter, another couple had to back out.
The male partner suffered from serious leg muscle cramp.




All this while, our guide had mysteriously disappeared!
He must have had disappeared fer quite some time cause I remembered hearing a splash a long while ago but it didn't occur to me that it's OUR guide who quietly swam away!

The worst thing was, we didn't even realise he disappeared till one of his minions asked cheekily, "Where's your guide?"
Turned around, omg, "I don't know?"
Turned to Alvin, "Aye, did you know our guide's missing?"
(of course he didn't, he was napping)

Gawd, we're literally in our own world in this cave of darknesssssssss.
But I must add that we're having fun!
Alvin's just lying and enjoying all this darkness shiat whilst I had to make sure we're still with the rest of the canoes.




Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..........
If only I could take a photo when we're going though the seemingly impermeable tunnel!!

Now I knew why the other guides were deflating the canoes back in the caves and where our guide had disappeared too!
Our canoes were too big to squeeze through the tiny mouth and we'd to lie real flat in the canoe when the guides pushed and pulled us out of the tunnel. Had the tide been a few inches higher, I'd be defaced from the rocky ceiling.

I cannot fathom how the XXL (and larger) angmohs made it through.
Hurhurhur.
2 (a father and young son) swam though the tunnel. Yes they're of XL size but they did it because the son was afraid to squeeze through the tunnel.
Thank God I needn't (aiyah, talk cock. thin like bamboo of course don't need la.. hahaha) as I wouldn't have dared to swim in total darkness..




This photo showed a typical deflated canoe which emerged victorious out of the narrow tunnel.


As for our guide, he had swam all the way to the mouth of the tunnel (from where we were at the cave) to assist in pulling canoes after canoes out!

I momentarily fergot he was the chief guide and thus this was part of his job. Our HERO! =)
He grazed his knees against some rocks and they started to bleed when he's back on the canoe.
Despite that, he gallantly brushed it off saying it's part and parcel of his job and he likes it!
Ahhh.. it's rare to find someone who's so in love with his job!


Hm. In the first photo, the thin black line (can't figure out which hole it was) was where we emerged from.
What an eye opener and astonishing view when we emerged from all that darkness!
It's better than the previous hong! (of course they saved the best fer the last)

It's like a lost world out there, so peaceful and serene.
Amidst all the heat outside, the hong here is surprisingly cool as it is surrounded by towering limestone walls that opens out to the sky.

Definitely some kinda paradise out there..
Wished we could have stayed longer and even have a picnic on the canoe..
Sadly, we haven't got any.




This ass was still lying down all this while.
Sheesh.




Dusk time - back to our hotel!

Walked to Jung Ceylon again to try out the Japanese Restaurant with a snaking queue which we saw the previous night.
Long queue doesn't mean it's good. What were the customers thinking.
Classic case of the blind following the blind. Sorely disappointed. - bad service & food.


Albeit, our sleep was sweet that night. =)

Phuket Getaway - Day 1

To Phuket to Phuket to catch a fat pig.




Our maiden Tiger Airways flight from the Budget Terminal on the 22nd of Dec 2009!

It's our first time stepping into the Budget Terminal and methinks it looked so cha-chat and cui (godawful), I thought I entered a warehouse.
Worse, this was after a S$16m makeover!


Fortunately, we didn't have to linger around at the dreadful terminal for too long.
All it took was a few rounds looking through all the shops available  (it's that small), a 20m walk on the tarmac to the plane and we were off to Phukety Phuket after a 1hr 45mins flight!

Here's Alvin discussing with our driver, Meethi, to plan our destinations after lunch (booked him fer the day) while I sat back, relac and enjoyed my chilled Fanta......




Our first stop was to go fer elephant trekking!
We opted for the longer 45mins ride, around S$40+ per pax.

This is baby male elephant, Plai Pee Mai, (which means "New Year" as he was born on Jan 2009) and us atop of a 26 years old female elephant whose name I fergot.




Our mahout's command of English was surprisingly quite good that we're able to converse with him throughout the journey!
Along the way, Alvin and I got startled when our elephant made a long and loud trumpeting announcement for dung time.




Presenting a grasshopper (for Alvin), a bird and ring (for me) that our mahout fashioned out of coconut leaves.




May the coconut leaf ring be transformed to a silver ring with a colossal diamond rock on it some day. Amen.
Hahaha




Our mahout also showed us the white latex sap that oozed out from the rubber tree trunk.

According to my primary school science text, the rubber sap is classified under poisonous.
While we're skeptical, nevertheless we gave it a try when the mahout offered to place some sap on our hands.

Oooh, the sap coagulated and turned rubbery as soon as we began to rub it!




Our souvenier of the day for 10bucks in their "Kinaree Elephant Trekking" photo frame.
(I took a photo of it here. Alvin hasn't scanned it fer me!!)


Next was to Phuket's Big Buddha statue which Meethi recommended.



I had batik cloths draped over me as my attire was deemed inappropriate to enter the sacred grounds.




Alas, The Big Buddha was having a face-lift. Some kinda recommendation.
Haha, shan't complain about it anyway as it's free entry! (we'd to save up for the last day - shopping!~)
"Put the eyes in december." -.-




There's another smaller buddha cladded in gold next to it.
Spotted our Singapore flag there!


We asked Meethi to take us to the cashew nut factory next.
Our hotel i/c told us Phuket's famous fer its cashew nuts and its nut cracking ladies.



It turned out to be just 2 lao char bors (middle aged ladies) cracking some nuts for show.
I suspected Meethi brought us to the wrong factory as the hotel i/c mentioned there were hundreds of them at the factory!

Regardless, we bought a few packets of garlic flavoured cashew nuts (delicious!) fer our families after sampling from a large range of different cashew nut products.




Our last stop with Meethi was the Kathu Waterfalls.
(We had no idea where else to go before dinner so we let him off 3 hrs early!
Alvin wanted to explore the rest of Patong area on foot at night)




Kathu Waterfalls was testing our limits.
The climb up felt neverending and we just want to relac fer this trip!
Thus we gave up after a 30mins hike. Besides, the sun was going to be down any time soon. Hurhur.


After a refreshing wash up back at the hotel, we headed out to explore night life around Patong Beach.



We came across a shop selling thousands upon thousands of sea shells along the way! =D
Bought a unique shell souvenier which I don't know where's it now. Haha

The variety of food at the night market stalls seemed appetizing, but we're not taking the risk to eat from the roadside stalls.



Instead, we went to the newly opened Jung Ceylon for dinner!




Had a supperbbbb dinner at Le Siam restaurant.
Highly recommended!